Releasable holding arms for door checks



Dec. 5, 1939. o. R. LASIER RELEASABLE HOLDING ARMS FOR DOOR CHECKS FiledMay 27, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fnuerzz r:

Dec. 5, 1939. D. R. LASlER 2,182,206

RELEASABLE HOLDING ARMS FOR DOOR CHECKS Filed May 27, 19:58 2 Shes-Sheet2 Ina/$12227" Patented Dec. 5, 1939 l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICERELEASABLE HOLDING ARMS FOR DOOR CHECKS David R. Lasier, Chicago, Ill.,assignor to Norton Lasier Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation ofIllinois Application May 27, 1938, Serial No. 210,353

6 Claims. (Cl. 189-49) This invention relates to an improved holdingwhen the door is moved to open position on the device of the typeusually applied to doors, hinges I'L. windows and the like, for holdingthem in a pre- The outer end of the crank arm 10 is prodetermined openposition and which is affected by vided with a spiral faced frictionhead I 8 and is of heat at a predetermined temperature causing thesubstantially the same construction as that conholding means to becomeineffective whereby the stituting the holding device disclosed in apdoormay be free to close automatically, cutting off plicants Patent No.1,826,553, of October 6, 1931. drafts and preventing or deterring thespread of The forearm in the illustrated embodiment of fire. Thereleasing means may depend for its aothe invention has at its outer enda friction head- 10 tion upon a fusible element or link of well known19, which is best illustrated in Figure 3 and is 19 construction.pivoted as by a pin 20 to the socket member 2l' An object of thisinvention is to provide a equipped with a set screw 22. The rod 49 isrereleasable holding device fordoors or the like, tained in the member2! in any desired adjusted which will effectively hold a door in anydesired position by the holding action of the set screw and openposition and which will readily and quickly has provided at its otherend, a universal joint 23 release the door when subjected to heat of ame having horizontal and vertical pivots for con determined temperature.necting the same to the bracket 24 which is at- Another object of thisinvention is to provide tached to the door frame. The above described areleasable holding device of such construction features of the forearmare substantially the that currents of heat passing-in either directionsame as those illustrated in applicants Patent through the passagewaywill more quickly reach No. 1,826,553 above referred to, and thus thethe releasing mechanism and eifect a rapid reforearm is capable ofacting in substantially the lease of the door. same way, it beingunderstood that the friction These and other objects not specificallyhead on the outer end is provided with a fric- 25 enumerated willreadily appear to one skilled in tional face adapted to have cooperativeengage- 25 the art as the following description proceeds. ment with thefrictional face on the head 18 In the accompanying drawings of the crankarm. Figure 1 is a plan view of a door closing and The novelty of thisinvention resides in cer checking device of the surface type, equippedwith tain structural features which are best illusa holding armconstruction in accordance with trated in Figures 3 to 5, inclusive. Thefriction 30 this invention; head I5 is provided with a pivotlug 25 and,in

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the device addition, a lug 25 havingright angle faces. Pivshown in Figure l; otally connected by means of apin 21 to the pivot v Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a lug25 is the element 28. This element is pro portion of the holding armshowing the con-- vided with a projecting portion 29 having an in- 35struction of the friction head and part of the reside right anglesurface 30 adapted to embrace leasing mechanism; the right angle facesof the lug 26, and also hav- Figure 4 is an enlarged plan view of aholding i g a te face device constructed in accordance with this in Thefriction head I 9 is also provided with a pair vention, showing it inreleased position; and of cars 32 which loosely embrace the sides of the40 Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a control lever 33 whichis pivotally held adjacent portion of the holding arm showing thefusible the end thereof by the pin 34 passing through the link and itsrelation to the releasing device. ears of the lever. The control levermay be sub- Ry referring to the drawings, it will be noted stantiallystraight sided as shown, and the under that the invention hereillustrated is embodied in surface 35 adapted to abut the outer face 3iof 45 a holding arm which consists of a crank arm it the projectingportion 29. The opposite end of and a forearm II, the first of which isconthe lever is preferably round, as shown at 3B. nected at one end I2to the spindle E3 of a door The arm II is provided at its inner end witha closing and checking device It. The checking pair of ears 3'! adaptedto pivotally hold the lockdevice per se forms no part of this inventionand ing pawl 38 by means of the pin 39. The lock- 50 may be of anysuitable type or, in some instances, ing pawl 38 has an extension M1 towhich is atomitted altogether. The device here illustrated tached a coilspring M by means of the hook 122 is the usual surface type door checkand is conpassing through the slot 43 and held by the pin nected bymeans of a bracket E5 to the upper snr- 44. The locking pawl is alsoprovided with a face of the door It so as to be carried thereby curvedabutting surface 45 adjacent the pivot 39 .55

, trol lever 33.

one end of the fusible link 41.

are such that the curved abutting surface of the locking pawl 38 is heldin intimate engagement with the round end 36 of the control lever 33under the tension of the spring M in the manner shown in Figure 1. areso constructed that when the curved abutting surface 45 of the lockingpawl 38 is in contact with the curved end Stof the control lever, theinner surface 35 of the lever 33 is in close contact with the outer face3! of the element 28, and the inner right-angle faces 32 are in closecontact with the right-angle faces of the lug 26. Consequently, when theparts are in assembled position as shown in Figure 1, the element 28 isheld rigidly relative to the friction head l9 whereby, in effect, theseparts are a single rigid member.

It will be noted that the pivoted connection at 34 is quite loose, thatis, the opening in the control lever 33 through which the pin 32 passesis considerably larger than the circumference of the pin and the spacebetween the ears 32 is greater than thewidth of the control lever 33.The play in this connection is'sufficient to allow the arm H to pivot at2!! for the purpose of adjustment without in any way disturbing therigidity of the pivotal connection 2i between the friction head I!) andarm II, when in the position shown in Figure 1.

It will also be noted that when the under face of the lever 35 is incontact with the face 3! of the element 28, the round end 35 of thelever cannot be inserted under the curved surface "35 of the lockingpawl 38 without exerting pressure on the lever, causing it to flex andpress tightly against the face 3!. Consequently, the lever, when in theposition shown in Figure l, is held under tension and when the lockingpawl 33 is released the lever will snap open, partly as a result of thistension, and assume the position shown in Figure 4.

In operation, the holding device is mounted in the customary manner,with the parts arranged as shown in Figures 1 and 2, whereby theelements i9 and 28 will berigidly held together in a manner to causethese parts to function as a unitary arm. In this event, the holdingdevice, comprising the cooperating friction faces, functions in themanner of the device in applicants Patent No. 1,826,553 to hold the dooropen in any predetermined position.

In the event of fire, such that the fusible link l! will be fused, theportions of the link will become separated, breaking the tension in thespring ll and leaving the locking pawl 33 free to disengage the controllever 33, which in turn the arms to pivot relative to each other wherebythe door is free to swing shut.

If the device is used in combination with a door closing mechanism,whether of the check- The various parts ing type or of any other type,this mechanism will allow the door to shut in the desired manner. It isobvious that the invention has application on all sorts of closures,such as doors, windows and the like, and that the device when installedis connected to a closure, such as a door at one end, and to astationary part, such as a sill at its other end; and accordingly, theinvention is to be construed broadly and as covering all suchinstallations. However, for the purpose of clarity, the applicant hasdefined his device as connected between a door and door sill, but theseterms are to be considered as covering all similar means.

One of the advantages of having the fusible link located in closeproximity to the door sill becomes more apparent when the course of hotair currents is considered As is well known, fire starting in one roomwill quickly heat the upper air in that room to a high temperature. Thisair expands and rapidly spills into adjoining rooms and halls throughopen doorways. The average door sill being somewhat lower than theceiling of the room, the hot air in expanding will be forced under thedoor sill. After it has passed under the door sill, it may again quicklyrise to the ceiling; consequently, the temperature of the air in theimmediate vicinity of the door sill may be higher than the air a shortdistance from it. By locating the fusible element nearer the door sill,it will be more quickly contacted by the hot air regardless of whichdirection the hot air is coming from; that is, whether it is coming fromthe side on which the releasing device is located or from the otherside.

What is claimed is:

1. A holding device adapted to be pivotally connected between a door anddoor sill, respectively, comprising, in combination, an arm having J afriction face on one end, an element having a cooperating friction facepivotally connected to said end of said arm, a second arm independentlypivoted at one of its ends to said element, re-

leasable means for normally holding inactive said second-named pivotcomprising a lever independently pivoted to said element and adapted tohave holding engagement with a portion of said second arm, and meansincluding a fusible link connected at one of its ends to said lever andat the other of its ends to a member carried by said second arm adjacentthe other end thereof, said means being so disposed as to locate saidfusible link adjacent said other end of said second arm.

2. A holding device adapted to be pivotally connected between a door anddoor sill, respectively, comprising, in combination, an arm having afriction face on one end, an element having a cooperating friction facepivotally connected to said end of said arm, a second arm independentlypivoted at one of its ends to said element, releasable means fornormally holding inactive said second-named pivot comprising a leverindependently pivoted adjacent one of its ends to said element andextending to a location adjacent the other end of said second arm, andmeans adjacent said other end of said second arm and carried by saidsecond arm and lever, respectively, including a fusible linkand servingto maintain said lever in holding position.

i 3. A holding device adapted to be pivotally connected between a doorand door sill, respectively, comprising, in combination, an arm having afriction face on one end, an element having a cooperating friction facepivotally connected to said end of said arm, a second element pivotallyconnected to said first-named element, a second arm pivotally connectedto said second element, releasable means for normally holding inactivesaid pivot between said first and second elements so as to provide arigid connection therebetween comprising a lever pivotally connected tosaid first element and adapted for holding engagement with a portion ofsaid second element, said lever extending to a location adjacent theopposite end of said second arm, and means adjacent said opposite end ofsaid second arm carried by said arm and lever, respectively, including afusible link and serving to maintain said lever in holding position.

4. A holding device adapted to be pivotally connected between a door anddoor sill, respectively, comprising in combination, an arm having afriction face on one end, an element having a cooperating friction facepivotally connected to said end of said arm, a second element pivotallyconnected to said first-named element, a second arm pivotally connectedto said second element, releasable means for normally holding inactivesaid pivot between said first and second elements so as to provide arigid connection therebetween comprising a lever pivotally connected tosaid first element and adapted for holding engagement with a portion ofsaid second element, said lever extending to a location adjacent theopposite end of said second arm, a locking pawl carried by the oppositeend of said second arm for engaging the end of said lever, and meansincluding a fusible link for normally maintaining said locking pawl inholding engagement with said lever.

5. A holding device adapted to be pivotally connected between a door anddoor sill, respectively, comprising, in combination, an arm having afriction face on one end, an element having a cooperating friction facepivotally connected on a Vertical axis to said end of said arm, a secondelement pivoted on a vertical axis to said first element, a second armpivoted on a horizontal axis to said second element, releasable meansfor normally holding inactive said pivot between said first and secondelements so as to form a rigid connection therebetween comprising alever independently pivoted at one of its ends with slight universalmovement to said first element and extending to a location adjacent theopposite end of said second arm, and means adjacent said opposite end ofsaid second arm carried by said arm and lever, respectively, including afusible link and serving to maintain said lever in holding position.

6. A holding device adapted to be pivotally connected between a door anddoor sill, respectively, comprising in combination, an arm having afriction face on one end, an element having a cooperating friction facepivotally connected on a vertical axis to said end of said arm, a secondelement pivoted on a vertical axis to said first element, a second armpivoted on a horizontal axis to said second element, releasable meansfor normally holding inactive said pivot between said first and secondelements so as to form a rigid connection therebetween comprising alever adapted for engagement with a portion of said second element andindependently pivoted at one of its ends with slight universal movementto said first element, said lever extending to a location adjacent theopposite end of said second arm, a locking pawl carried by the oppositeend of said second arm for engaging the end of said lever, and meansincluding a fusible link for normally maintaining said locking pawl'inholding engagement with said lever.

DAVID R. LASIER.

